Adults from 30 to 60 years old, especially those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, aren't consuming the daily recommended levels of fruits and vegetables. Quebecers, however, eat more of nature's produce than their fellow Canadians. These are some of the findings of a new Concordia University study, published by Nutrition Journal, which sheds light on who reaches in their fridge crisper（保鲜储藏格） often enough to gain the health benefits of a balanced diet composed of fruits and vegetables.

"People from the Atlantic to the western provinces consume fruits and vegetables less frequently compared to Quebecers," says lead author Mesbah Sharaf, a PhD candidate in Concordia's Department of Economics. "This could be due to cultural influence, since Quebec is a predominantly a French-speaking province with a long history of farming, fruits, vegetables and dairy products."

Co-author Sunday Azagba, who is also a PhD candidate in the Concordia Department of Economics, says: "This study furthers our understanding of how finances or lifestyle influence fruit and vegetable consumption to eventually target groups to promote better nutrition policies."

The researchers analyzed¹ data collected from almost 94,000 people, aged² 18 to 69 years, from the Canadian Community Health Survey. They looked at factors such as gender³, education, income, marital⁴ and smoking status to reveal differences in how often people of various backgrounds consume fruits and vegetables.

The analyses revealed that people with low education and low income ate fruits and vegetables less frequently -- about 4.5 times per day. Individuals with higher education and income, for their part, ate nature's produce a little over five times per day.

"There are also significant disparities in the frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption by demographics and lifestyle," Azagba says.